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Surinam Toad
Pipa pipa
Surinam toad. A bizarre, completely aquatic frog with an extremely flattened body, starry sensory fingertips, and a unique reproductive method where eggs develop embedded in the mother's back.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Pipidae
Genus:Pipa
Species:Pipa pipa
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Water Temperature
24 - 28 °C
pH Value
6 - 7
Environment
Freshwater
Humidity
100 %
Day temperature
26 °C
Night temperature
22 °C
Ambient temperature
26 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Completely aquatic species native to the slow-moving rivers, murky swamps, and muddy pools of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, spanning Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and the Guianas. It blends perfectly with the leaf litter on the bottom of dark, slow-flowing tropical waters.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Reaches 12 to 20 cm in length, with females being significantly larger. Features a triangular, flat head and a highly compressed, leaf-like body covered in wrinkled skin. Unlike most frogs, it lacks a tongue and teeth. Its front feet have specialized star-shaped sensory appendages on the fingertips used to detect prey.
Behavior and Habits: and highly camouflaged bottom-dweller. Incapable of moving effectively on dry land. It is a sit-and-wait predator that captures prey through suction feeding, rapidly opening its mouth to draw in fish or invertebrates. Males produce a clicking sound underwater during mating rituals.
Morphology: Adult females are much larger and broader than males. During the breeding season, the female's back skin becomes spongy and swollen to accommodate eggs, which are pressed into her skin by the male.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a large aquarium (minimum 150-200 liters). The substrate should consist of fine sand or mud rather than gravel, which can be accidentally swallowed and cause impaction. Provide hiding spots using large driftwoods, PVC pipes, and floating plants. Use a powerful filter set to a very gentle flow rate.
Lighting and Heating: Maintain water temperatures between 25°C and 28°C using a protected submersible heater. Keep lighting diffuse and dim (using floating plants or blackwater conditions) to reduce stress.
Humidity and Hydration: Strictly aquatic; must remain fully submerged at all times. Water quality is critical. Perform regular partial water changes to prevent the accumulation of waste and ammonia, which cause severe skin irritation.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly carnivorous. Feed a variety of earthworms, small thawed fish (silversides), and ghost shrimp. Use long tongs to feed them, as they hunt primarily by touch and motion. Occasional calcium supplementation is beneficial.
Compatibility: Highly predatory. Will swallow any tankmate small enough to fit in its wide mouth. Keep individually or in same-sized groups. Do not house with active or aggressive fish that could nip at their sensitive skin.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly susceptible to ammonia toxicity and poor water conditions, which lead to red leg syndrome and fungal skin infections. Ensure the filter is mature and maintain strict water hygiene. Never handle with bare hands to protect their delicate mucous membrane.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Completely aquatic species native to the slow-moving rivers, murky swamps, and muddy pools of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, spanning Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and the Guianas. It blends perfectly with the leaf litter on the bottom of dark, slow-flowing tropical waters.
Origin
Amazon, Orinoco, and GuianasNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 17.1 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 17.1 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 17.1 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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